Create a Living Office with 10 Settings
There is no one-size-fits-all workspace. That’s why Herman Miller has developed ten distinct space settings that address specific modes of work, like the Haven.
Shortly after announcing its Living Office concept in June 2013, Herman Miller released its online Living Office Design Solutions resource, to provide a variety of downloadable PDF’s, sketch-ups, DWG’s, and Revit files for layout ideas within each space setting. Here’s a brief walkthrough of each setting with some of the downloadable designs you can now fine online to help your organization create a new living office!
The Haven
The Haven
A Haven is a small shelter where concentrative, focused work can be done without distractions—and alternatively, a place to unwind. It can be an enclosed room, such as a private office, or a semi-sheltered or screened-in space in the open. Depending on its intended use, the setting may offer a work surface and seating or take on a more relaxed feel. It should also provide appropriate considerations for the use of personal technology and other tools. A shared Haven must be easily locatable in the landscape.
Related Modes of Work: Create, Contemplate, Converse
The Hive
The Hive
A Hive takes advantage of co-location to help drive work forward. The setting offers a grouping of individual work points and ergonomic seating. Variances in spatial division, storage density, and boundary define the character of the space and enable the specific work that is to occur there. Further ergonomic considerations may include the optimal placement of fixed and adjustable technology.
Related Modes of Work: Process & Respond, Create, Chat
The Jump Space
The Jump Space
A Jump Space consists of highly approachable work points that facilitate work for a distinct period of time between other activities. For this reason they tend to be located along highly trafficked routes, or adjacent to busy intersections. A Jump Space may help connect people from disparate locations or teams who otherwise would not meet. It can be configured with comfortable seating and with bar- or table-height surfaces.
Related Modes of Work: Process & Respond, Chat
The Clubhouse
The Clubhouse
A Clubhouse is a working neighborhood that generally belongs to a team assigned to a specific, long-term project. A variety of individual and group work points with ergonomic seating enable people to freely and intuitively cycle between tasks and activities as they use a variety of fixed, mobile, personal, and remote technology. Maintaining proximity and identity within the Clubhouse helps drive the work that occurs there. A Clubhouse should offer ample surfaces to display and share in-process work. This setting has defined edges with porosity for visual access.
Related Modes of Work: Co-create, Divide & Conquer, Huddle
The Cove
The Cove
A Cove is a compact space within proximity to individual work points or common areas that enables people to assemble and engage for a short period of time. Cove may also accommodate remote participants with provisions for fixed and personal technology. Enough boundary to avoid disrupting others is essential—especially with the addition of technology. Territorial by nature, Coves are used more readily by the people working nearest to them.
Related Modes of Work: Huddle, Converse, Co-create
The Meeting Space
The Meeting Space
A Meeting Space is designed to support information sharing— whether it’s a single speaker at the head of the room, or a group of peers talking and listening among themselves. For this reason, a Meeting Space requires great lines of sight for everyone, including remote participants. Vertical display surfaces encourage ideation and interaction. Adequate perimeter space enables circulation and frees movement. A Meeting Space tends to be architecturally bounded.
Related Modes of Work: Show & Tell
The Landing
The Landing
A Landing is an open perching spot specifically adjacent to a Meeting Space or Forum. Prior to a meeting it provides a gathering space for attendees. After the meeting, it takes advantage of the visual continuity between the Landing and its meeting space as an aid to memory, and helps drive work forward that happens in the meeting.
Related Modes of Work: Warm Up & Cool Down
The Workshop
The Workshop
A Workshop is the ideal setting for people to work together to generate new ideas and drive work forward. It offers easy access to analog and digital tools and surfaces to display and create work. People should always be able to see and hear each other easily—even when not physically present. A variety of postures and distinct groupings of mobile furniture allow people to choose and arrange how the space best suits their work in the moment. Adequate circulation space encourages movement.
Related Modes of Work: Co-create, Divide & Conquer
The Forum
The Forum
A Forum is designed to support the presentation of content. This is enabled by a clearly defined point of focus in the space, which tends to be architecturally enclosed. Critical elements include a good line of sight for everyone in the audience, excellent sound and lighting, and the capacity to engage remote participants. A variety of furniture selections may be provided, and it should be repositionable to best suit each presentation and audience.
Related Modes of Work: Show & Tell
The Plaza
The Plaza
A Plaza acts as the vibrant and dynamic heart of the landscape —a place where people can intuitively take the pulse of the organization. They are open, welcoming, public spaces situated at major intersections and highly trafficked areas of the work environment. They support a diverse range of experiences and populations. A Plaza encourages mixing and mingling, enables multiple work activities simultaneously, helps broadcast information, and provides amenities as a point of attraction.
Related Modes of Work: Chat, Converse, Process & Respond
Also check out how Herman Miller incorporated these ten space settings into their new company headquarters design!
